The Next Day
by Delenn
Summary: Sequel to ‘Wine, Bards & Fishnets.’ This story is from Aphrodite’s POV. Ares/Xena


**Disclaimer: This story is purely for fun, and to keep the people from the Xena and Ares shippers club from going crazy, I get no profit from this story. The characters... ECT. As well as the story idea belongs to me. The characters Xena, Gabrielle, Eve, and Ares ECT. Do not belong to me, and I am just borrowing them. No copy write infringement intended. Please do not use this story on your web site, web page ECT. Without first asking me and receiving my permission, you may however use this story for private use, but must use it with all disclaimers. If you would like to send this story to a friend, please ask me first, and receive my permission, and you must not get any profit from the transaction. I get no profit from this story in anyway, so please don't sue me!!   
  
Authors note: Wow, that was a pretty long disclaimer wasn't it?? I hope I got everything in though; I don't want anybody to take this story the wrong way! If the idea of Xena and Ares in love, of them having any past relationship, or if Gabrielle and Xena being 'just friends' is not the type of story you want to read, please go someplace else. This is the sequel to my response to 'Reeny's Challenge. As in most of my stories we're gonna say that Cupid is... Apollo's kid, if you have some problem with this...Deal with it or don't read the story! I probably won't even mention Apollo! You know what? I don't even know WHY I wrote this story, let alone from Aphrodite's POV, but I did so I finished it.   
  
Dedications: This story is 'Reeny, Barb, Kat, Illy, G.O.M, Noie, Liz, SR, Tareena, Tali, Eris, GA, Jules, Kor, Destiny, GsOW, Everyone I missed, and for everyone at the shippers club for their support, and for liking my stories, even when I didn't!   
  
Summary: Sequel to 'Wine, Bards & Fishnets' this story is from Aphrodite's POV.   
  
Warnings: Sex: No, just kissing. Subtext: NO. Language: No. Violence: No.   
  
Rated: PG   
  
Now for the story!!!!! *Everyone claps, glad to be rid of the disclaimers***   
  


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The Next Day...   
Sequel to 'Wine, Bards and Fishnets'   
By Delenn

  
  
  
  
I awake this morning groggy, hung over, and totally tired! I think 'What is UP with that?' Anyway I wonder like where am I? I look around and on closer inspection realize I am in Cupid's temple in Athens... I thought I went home? Looking around I see three passed out priests, two passed out priestesses, and one very drunk and singing God of Love. I look at Cupid strangely, he is perched on his alter, his wings drooping, a bottle of something in his hand, singing. "Oh there was once a drunken sailor, *hic* he had a little ship... And they all won again, and they all one AGAIN! Sing it one more time!"   
  
Oh gods, I slowly get up, I am on a divian, ooh my hair! "Cupie.... Cupid.... CUPID! Yo, god of love? YooHoo! Over here babe, that's better. Cupie, stop singing... Thank you! Now, how's my hair?!"   
  
Cupid focuses on me with an extreme amount of effort "What? Your hair is fine. Huh, you fell asleep on me! I was all by myself."   
  
I sigh "Sorry babe, I was a little over partied. 'Neway, I think I'm gonna go home, I have work to do. Ciao doll, oh and Cupie? Don't drink anything else, would ya?"   
  
Cupid nodes, I turn to leave when I hear a thud, turning back towards the god of love I see that he has fallen off his alter and is snoozing on the floor. I put my hands on my hips "Like, HONESTLY! Yo, priests, priestesses, I need some help in here!"   
  


~(*)~

  
  
After finally getting Cupid to bed I decide it's time to check up on my big bro, he was trashed yesterday. I appear in the halls of war to find my bro on a couch, and Xena on the bed, both sleeping. I clear my throat "Yo, it's afternoon already..."   
  
Xena sits up carefully, as if testing herself, I don't blame her, I had to make sure I could stand before I did this morning too. She focuses on me "Hi, 'Dite, what are you doing here?"   
  
Bro's up now too, he looks to Xena "Why in tartarus are you on my bed?"   
  
Xena shrugs, standing up and stretching while searching for her weapons. "I stayed awake long enough to take off my weapons and lay down. Why did Gabrielle have to wake us up anyway?"   
  
Ares stands up and asks "How about you, 'Dite, how long have you been up?"   
  
I wave my hand wearily, a small burst of pink hearts come out; they promptly turn brown and fall to the ground, "That answer your question? A tired goddess of love is a like totally bad thing! I have like major work to do today, so do you Ar, so I thought I'd like make sure you were up. Cupid's gonna be like no help to me today! He was up all night, I woke up to him singing several songs at like once! He's totally sleeping it off."   
  
Xena looks to Ares and I "One of you have to take me back to Gabrielle and Eve. They're gonna be pissed that I left, and now that I'm feeling better I should deal with them."   
  
Ares sighs and I say "I'll take you down, doll, just give me a sec."   
  
I wave my hand and my outfit and hair are perfect again. Xena tells Ares "We'll talk later..."   
  
She takes my hand and we disappear.   
  


~(*)~

  
  
We reappear in the campsite, Eve and Gabrielle are curled up by the dying fire, clutching a scroll that Gabrielle was reading I think. "Yo, girlies, you's like getting up like ever?"   
  
Xena rolls her eyes at me "Great!"   
  
I shrug, "What!?"   
  
Gabrielle and Eve slowly get up, Eve says "Hi, Aphrodite, mom..."   
  
Gabrielle gets up, letting go of the scroll, "Hey Aphrodite... XENA! Finally, what were you doing! You have so much explaining to do!"   
  
Gabrielle gets up and jumps over to Xena... I lean over and whisper to Xena "Sup with that? She always this silly?"   
  
Xena shrugs "One question at a time, Gabrielle,"   
  
Eve stands up and walks over to us "I can't believe you mom," Xena braces for another attack "Seemed you drank tons and you woke up so quickly! That is so cool."   
  
Xena sighs "Evie... That is not cool, it's a horrible headache..."   
  
Eve continues, interrupting Gabrielle, who has just opened her mouth "So did you party all night long!?"   
  
Xena raises an eyebrow... I sympathize, kids can ask things they don' want to know about our lives. "No, Eve... We sat around and didn't say anything, while Aphrodite gave us lots to drink... Halfway through we all started talking about nothing... We were rather drunk by the time we decided to say anything... And then Aphrodite started to feel woosy herself, and decided to send us home before she lost use of the aether as well."   
  
Eve laughed "That was it?"   
  
Both Xena and I nodded and Eve burst out into a freash bout of laughter "That is so funny!"   
  
Finally Gabrielle gets a word in "That's what you did, Xena? You sat around and got drunk while Eve and I were worried sick?"   
  
I come to Xena's defense "Hey, not to knock ya or anything, I mean I'm just totally thrilled that you're like, back from the dead, but hon... You two didn't fight 'Thena and Arte and all... We deserved to get hammered!"   
  
Gabrielle purses her mouth and says nothing, I scold lightly "Hey Gabby, that brings wrinkles you know!"   
  
Gabrielle sighs "I'll pack up camp, Eve you fill the water skins... When I'm done I expect you to be ready to go Xena."   
  
Xena moves towards her horse and I follow her "So, Xena, what's really up with you and Ar?"   
  
Xena turns to me "Thanks for defending me... And for helping against your sister, it means a lot. As for Ares and I... That's for us to know and you to wish you knew."   
  
I sigh, "That's what I figured... Good luck, I really hope you two work it out! Thanks for the thanks! I should go now, tootles!"   
  
Xena nods to me and goes back to brushing Argo, I see Gabrielle coming towards us, she seems angry, man that's bad if she's just back from the dead and mad already! I sigh and disappear, well there goes that day.   
  


The End


End file.
